The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-02-03
"REMINISCENCES OF LoNeFELLow.
The Chair That Was Given to the
Poet by tho Children of Cambridge.

Poet by tho Children OF Cambridge
A Naples correspondent OF The Lon
don News writes: Herr Won der Wyn-
gaert has published some "reminiscences
of the poet Longfellow, which / trans
late in full: Zone May day in 1880 l
had occasion to visit the poet Longfel-
low. and sat down in chair near him.
Come and sit here said Longfellow,
pointing to large easy-chair made oil
chestnut wood. ! obeyed his wish,
and he asked, with bcaming eyes, is
not it beautiful chairP' "A very beauti-
full and comfortable chair assented
with truth. Look at it closely, con-
tinued the poet; Lift up the cushion
did so, and discovered brass tablet
inscribed with the words From the
children of Cambridge i inquired
the meaning and Longfellow related
the following story: The Cambridge
children gave me this chair on my sew
enty-second birthday. the 9th day of
February, 1879, and assure you that
no acknowledgement or gift l have
ever received has more delighted me.
He passed his hand caressingly along
the chairbaclI, and looking dreamily at
it he continued with II voice full OF
emotion: "Ths was once tree-a
mighty, many branched, lofty chestnut
tree. Ihave seen its boughs in spring
covered with the first green leaves and
long blossom-tassels, which grew
darker and darker, and at last covered
the ground round about like dusky cat
erpilars. / have listened to the rust
ling of its branches, and sung to their
melody many song in its shades. 1t
stood just in front Of the little old
rusty village smithy, spreading its
shady boughs above, into the tops
of which the sparks from the
chimney often flew. The children of Cam
bridge played around its trunk, and often
] watched them try to count the nuts
forming in the twigs; and when, in au-
tumn, ripe nut was shaken down by
the wind, and went hopping along in
its green husk with cracking sound,
it was pleasant to watch the children
run and snatch at it, and observe the
Joy of the lucky possessor. In the
early morning the children assembled
in numbers to gather the harvest fallen
DUNG the night, and SO, by means Of
the old chestnut, / became the child
ren's friend. But the smithy was small,
and old, and tolterng, or was 1t only
changing taste that demanded its de-
struction and re-erectionp However
that may be, its last hour had come, and
the old chestnut-tree was also condemn
ed to fall A rensve smile accompanied
these words which | well understood.
know the feeling of witnessing the
tearing up of many an old memory, l
know how the sight of favorite tree
cut down can effect one. and how bare
and dead looks its empty place. The
children of Cambridge continued
Longfellow, bought the wood of the old
tree. The village carpenter made this
chair out of II, and also tho copy Of an
album. on the upper side Of which was
carved picture of the old smithy and
the ancient chestnut Within were the
portraits of tho children who bad pre-
pared for me this birthday surprise.
When sit in that chair am often ov-
ercome with feeling as If heard once
more the rustling Of the old trees
branches, or the song of the birds on
ahe boughs, and memory recalls all the
Joys and sorrows of my life. In proof
of my gratitude, dedicated poem
to the children of Cambridge Long
fellow handed me paper containing
several verses, which are not generally
known, and which l translated into
German"